


Castle Trifels

by Blue_Night



Series: Trifels: Tales and Legends from the Pfälzer Wald [1]
Category: Football RPF, Real Person Fiction
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Curses, Delivery from fate, Fate, First Kiss, First Love, Ghosts, Grief/Mourning, Happy Ending, Loneliness, Longing, Love Confessions, M/M, Oaths & Vows, Romance, Undying Love, centuries, ghost!Marco, supernatural elemnets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-17 16:53:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4674278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Night/pseuds/Blue_Night
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On one of the highest mountains in the uplands of the Pfälzer Wald sits enthroned a proud and ancient castle called Trifels.<br/>It is a place where the presence meets the past and fates will be sealed...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Castle Trifels

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GoForGoals](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoForGoals/gifts).



> This is not the end of my break, this is just something I needed to do for one of the most lovely and wonderful people I know.
> 
> Hey sweetie!
> 
> I wrote on this for a couple of days and I mused about sending it to you per mail but decided to post it here despite my break from the football fandom.  
> This is my way to say thank you to you for:
> 
> \- reading each and every story of mine, no matter which story it is. You read my football stories and my sci fi stories and you always do that, no matter if it's your cup of tea or not, and no matter if you ship the pairing or not. You read them just because they are my stories and I want to thank you for that. Be sure that I will always read yours.  
> \- always leaving kudos and wonderful comments under each and every story and for never being harsh or hurtful and never forgetting to leave feedback. I cannot tell you with words how much your outstanding support means to me.  
> \- always being there for me and listening to me, taking the things that move me serious and consoling me whenever I need some comfort.  
> \- for trusting me so much that you let me do the beta for your wonderful works and for sharing your thoughts and ideas with me.  
> \- for helping me through the last rough weeks with simply being there for me. Without you, I most likely would have given up writing and deleted my account, at least my football works.
> 
> Thank you for being the wonderful and lovely person you are.  
> Thank you for being my friend, dear.
> 
> I hope you will like this.

  


View at the castle Trifels

 

 

_Prologue:_

 

“Oh no, Trifels? Again?” Erik groaned frustrated, shooting his parents sitting at the other side of the table a reproachful look.

Another sunny Sunday, and he was supposed to go hiking with his parents again, visiting the proud castle Trifels sitting enthroned on one of the highest mountains of the Pfälzer Wald for the umpteenth time.

His father looked back, unimpressed, smiling at him. “Yes, Erik, Trifels.”

“You can't be serious, dad. Not Trifels again!” he tried once more, looking pleadingly at his mother for help, but she only shook her head. “You knew the deal, Erik. You are allowed to go out with your friends on Saturday evenings only if you'll spend some quality time with your old and boring parents on Sundays and this means that you will go hiking with us. It has been a rather long time since we last visited the Trifels and there will be no debate about it. You can stay at home, but you will miss the party next Saturday, then,” she explained patiently and Erik let out a heartfelt and miserable sigh. “You're cruel. The parents of my friend don't expect their sons to go hiking with them!”

“That might be, but it's their choice. Our choice is to spend time with our kids and the Sundays are the only days when we can do it. So stop complaining, Erik.” His father's voice made clear that Erik should better shut up now and resign himself to his 'cruel' fate, which he did after another hurt and reproachful look in his parents' direction.

Sometimes, being a fifteen-years-old teenager was really hard and more than unfair.

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

Erik strolled through the stony corridors of the old and very history-charged masonry he almost knew by heart by now, glad that his parents had allowed him to explore the castle on his own instead of having to go with them, and he whizzed around the next corner to get out of their sight and have at least a little bit of fun on his own. There was a breastwork from where he would have a wonderful view over his beloved Pfälzer Wald and he wanted to take some pictures undisturbed and without having to answer nosy questions about his friends and school the entire time.

He was lucky, no other visitor seemed to be outside, but when he had circled the large tree standing before the small path leading to the breastwork, he came to an abrupt halt, staring disbelievingly at the boy sitting on one of the big ashlar rocks with his legs dangling over it, his slim arms placed comfortably on the railing in front of him. Erik couldn't see the boy's face, but he was pretty sure that he was staring wistfully into the distance, judging by his posture.

Erik swallowed hard, unsure what he should do. He had to be very careful to not startle him, because the boy who seemed to be a little bit older than he himself was would fall into the abyss and die if Erik would frighten him and make him lose his balance.

He slowly stepped closer, trying to come from the side so the blond boy would notice him in time without a fright. The clothes he wore looked a little bit shabby and worn, some kind of scratchy tunic probably reaching down to his thighs when he stood, the color something between beige and a dirty olive-green and his trousers were made of the same scratchy material, only the color was a dirty dark brown. The clothing reminded Erik of the clothes people wore when they visited renaissance festivals and the boy didn't seem to mind the scratchy garment rubbing on his skin whenever he shifted his weight. It was a sunny day but it was rather fresh and windy on top of the mountain and Erik was glad that he wore a jacket, but the boy also didn't seem to freeze in the cool breeze, he just kept staring into the distance, ignoring Erik approaching him, completely.

Erik cleared his throat to attract his attention. No reaction. Erik tried it again, this time a little bit louder, staring intensively at the unknown boy. The blond shifted his weight again and his back tensed, but he still didn't turn his head around to Erik.

“Ähem, who are you?” Erik asked, eventually losing his patience, but trying to keep his voice calm and friendly to not make the older boy flinch and fall over the breastwork.

The boy looked to his right side and then to his left and Erik caught a brief impression of his face, handsome features, very pale skin and sad amber-green eyes. Before he could look away again, Erik continued: “Yes, I meant you. There is no one else than only you and me. I am Erik. What's your name?”

The boy slowly turned around to him, staring at him with a frown. “You can see me?!” he finally asked and his voice sounded rough and husky like the voice of someone who had been silent for a rather long time.

Erik frowned now, as well. “Of course, I can see you. Why should I not? You can see me, too, can't you?”

The boy kept staring at him without blinking and Erik wondered briefly about his snow-white skin-color. His skin almost looked translucent and Erik wasn't sure whether he could really see the mountains of the Pfälzer Wald shimmering through him or if he only imagined things that weren't there.

The boy smiled sadly. “This is something entirely different. I can see everything and everyone. But no one can see me, because I am not a human being. I am a ghost.”

 

\---------------------------------------------

 

Erik stared at the blond boy with a dropped jaw and big eyes before he eventually had found his tongue again, uttering a partly amused and partly incredulous snort.

“Ha ha ha, how funny. A ghost. Of course. The ghost of the castle Trifels or what? There is nowhere any mentioning of a ghost spooking around, and certainly not in the middle of the afternoon,” he mocked, but the slight shiver running down on his spine and the serious expression on the pale face silenced him and Erik snapped his mouth shut and swallowed hard waiting for the older boy's reaction.

The blond boy just kept looking at him and his eyes became even more sad. Just when he was about to avert his eyes and turn away from Erik's disbelieving gaze again, Erik scratched the last pieces of his courage together and asked: “A ghost? Really? How in – ghost?”

The boy nodded his head. “Yes, a ghost,” he said and his voice sounded as defiantly as each voice of any other teenager living on earth would sound when they spoke the truth about something serious their listeners didn't want to believe them.

“And why am I able to see you and others not?” Erik inquired curiously, leaning against the railing beside the boy and forgetting his first fear, because the ghost-boy didn't look like a threat, at all.

“I have no clue,” the blond stated, slumping his shoulders. “There once was a boy who could see me, but this was at least six hundred years ago.” The ghost pursed his lips, considering him thoughtfully. “He looked like you and his name was Erich.”

This made Erik's jaw drop again and all that came out of his mouth was a strangled “Uhm, really?”

The old ghost who looked like a teenage boy nodded again. “Yes, he was the son of a touring minstrel who belonged to a fair. We spent two weeks together while the fair stayed in Annweiler and he promised me to come back the following year, but, I never saw him again.”

Erik could hear how much that must have hurt the blond ghost, and he unconsciously reached out to lay his hand upon his shoulder. His hand whooshed through the boy and Erik stumbled back with a yelp and almost lost his balance. “Uh wow! You're really a ghost, aren't you?” he stammered and the boy scowled at him. “I told you that I am.”

“Hm, yes, you did, I am sorry. What's your name? I don't want to call you ghost.” Erik shot a quick glance around, but they were still alone on the breastwork.

“Marco. My name is Marco,” the boy said and Erik smiled at him. “Hello Marco, nice to meet you. I would offer you my hand, but this won't work, I guess. But, it's in the middle of the afternoon. I always thought that ghosts were spooking around only in the middle of the night?”

This time, it was Marco's turn to snort. “Where would be the sense in ghosting around during the night when no one's there? They can't see me, but I am so lonely, and I can at least watch the humans coming here when I am awake during the days and sleeping during the nights. It's bad when the dark and long winter months come though, because there are only few people coming here when it's cold and snowing.”

“You sleep?” Erik asked astonished and Marco shrugged his shoulders. “Kind of. It's not the sleep human beings know. It is more a state of paralysis I can put myself into. Sometimes, I do that for a rather long time. It is so lonely and sad, watching the decades and centuries go by when no one can see you and no one talks to you...” Marco's voice trailed off and Erik felt sudden tears welling up in his eyes.

“You once were a human, too, weren't you?” he asked huskily and Marco nodded. “Yes, I was, Erik. But this was a long time ago. More than only one lifetime ago.” He sighed, his eyes traveling to the horizon again. “More than eight hundred years ago, to be precise.”

Erik mused about that, trying to imagine living for such a huge amount of time. Eight hundred years. This explained Marco's clothes and the sadness in his eyes. He was about to ask another question when the voices of his parents suddenly sounded through the air. “Erik! Where are you? We want to leave! Erik, where are you?”

“Damn it! My parents. Marco, I have to go.” Erik admitted, suddenly feeling miserably.

The young looking and yet so old ghost just gazed at him with his beautiful and sad amber-green eyes. “Of course, Erik. I understand.”

Erik blinked. There had to be something wrong with his vision, because he couldn't see Marco as good as he had seen him only one second ago any more. It was as if the ghost became some kind of mist, disappearing into the air. “I will come back, Marco, I promise you, I will come back to you,” he whispered, hoping that Marco still heard him although he wasn't visible any longer.

 

\---------------------------------------------------

 

“I want to visit the Trifels again!” Erik stated firmly on the next Sunday morning when he was sitting on the breakfast table again. His mother let her spoon fall on her plate with a loud clattering sound and his father just stared at him, obviously not sure whether he could believe his ears or not.

“Trifels? But, last week you told us that you didn't want to visit it again because we had already been there so many times before?”

Erik blushed, sheepishly shrugging his shoulders. “I changed my mind. One has a great view from the breastwork and I want to take more pictures. We have this school project in history and I could get a good grade with adding the pictures to my collage.”

This wasn't the true reason why he wanted to visit the Trifels again, but it wasn't a lie, either, because he was actually working on such a project.

“Fair enough. If this makes you complain less about our family Sunday, then so be it. We will visit the Trifels again,” his mother said with the proud and tender smile only mothers called their own as she looked at her little boy who was about to become a man and stand on his own two feet somewhere near in the future.

Erik smiled back at her, suppressing the shout of joy that wanted to leave his throat. He only hoped that Marco would be there and that the last Sunday hadn't been some kind of weird dream.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

Erik was out of breath when he reached the castle, his parents walking much slower than their teenage son left far behind. He had told them that he would meet them again two hours later before the exit. He headed to the pay booth and payed his entrance, his only thought to go to the place where Marco had sat one week ago.

His disappointment almost overwhelmed him when he came to the breastwork and Marco was nowhere in sight, only three other visitors and one couple holding hands enjoying the breathtaking view.

He bit his lip, fighting against the huge lump in his throat and the wetness in his eyes. Marco wasn't there, and Erik had no clue how to find him. He looked around when a sudden and almost inaudible whisper next to his right ear made him flinch.

“You really came. You didn't break your promise.”

Erik turned around on his heels, trying to catch a glance at the ghost, but there was no one to be seen, only a soft breeze was playing with his short light-brown hair. “You can't see me when other people are around, Erik, but, I am right here beside you. Come with me to the emperor's hall. There is a stair leading to the highest tower from the hall and we will be more undisturbed there.”

Erik nodded, heading towards the entrance of the castle, now more than happy that he had spent so much time here with his parents over the years, because he knew every stair and every room visitors were allowed to use and visit and he had no problems with finding the stair Marco had meant. When he climbed the small stairs, Marco became visible before him, hovering over the steps and glowing in a soft silver shimmer to light up the gloomy tunnel leading upwards.

“I'm so happy that you came, Erik,” the ghost said, smiling shyly at the younger boy and Erik regretted deeply that he couldn't touch him.

“I promised you to come back to you, Marco. I can't come every Sunday, my parents would start asking questions, but I promise you that I will come as oftentimes as I am able to. It will be difficult during the winter months, but I will come every spring, summer and autumn,” Erik replied, and Marco's eyes looked happy instead of sad for the first time since Erik had made the acquaintance of this uncommon ghost-teenager.

He led him to the top of the tower and Erik sat down on the stony ground, patting on the squared stone next to the one where he was sitting. “Sit down, Marco,” he said and the ghost glided over the red stones and 'sat' down next to Erik, considering him thoughtfully. “You're not scared, are you?” he inquired and Erik shook his head. “No, Marco, I'm not. You would never do me any harm, I can see that in your eyes. Please, tell me more about you. Why and how do you became a ghost?”

A brief wistful expression flickered over the handsome features as Marco stared into the distance again and Erik could tell that he wasn't seeing the horizon, but old and obviously painful memories playing before his mind's eye like a movie.

“More than eight hundred years ago, I was one of the servants living here on this castle. The Trifels was a magnificent castle, proud and beautiful, and I was happy and content with my life until important guests came to visit the emperor Friedrich II. and bestow him honor. The earl who came had a son in my age, a beautiful young man with the name Mario and I fell in love with him. We met a few times secretly and shared kisses, and when he told me that he wanted to meet me on top of the tower in the night when no one would be there, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. I went there after seeing to all of my duties and waited for him in the cold winter night, but Mario didn't come. I had only the clothes I wore on my body, no blanket or anything else to protect me from the cold and when I finally realized that Mario wouldn't come, I tried to leave the tower again. But, the door didn't open and I couldn't leave. Someone had closed it and no one listened to my knocking and my cries. After a while, I curled myself up into a small ball on the cold stones and hugged myself while I cried my heart out, and I swore to myself that I wouldn't die on this night. I made an oath that I wouldn't die until I had found someone who truly loved me, no matter how long it would take me to find this human being. It was so cold and I could feel myself becoming weaker and weaker, but I repeated this oath again and again until I finally fell asleep. When I 'woke up' again, I could see my body lying lifeless on the stones and first, I didn't realize what had happened. But in the morning, they found 'me' and buried me near the castle, and no one could see me or hear my cries. Ever since then, I am ghosting through the castle first and then its ruins, waiting for the one who would truly love me and deliver me from my fate. I watched the centuries go by until the proud castle finally became a ruin, I watched people live and die here, but no one could see me except for Erich and you. I put myself into this state of paralysis for decades from time to time, and when I woke up, I started to search again for the one who would save me.” The ghost went silent for a short moment before he continued. “I watched people coming and re-building this castle and I watched the visitors coming here and strolling through the corridors. I also watched you coming here with your parents oftentimes, but until last week, you never noticed me. You reminded me of Erich and I followed you when you explored the castle with your sister, but you didn't see me.”

Erik had listened to Marco's words silently and he hadn't realized until one tear dropped down on his lap that he had started to cry. He looked up at the ghost watching him with dry and sad eyes and he didn't try to hide his tears from him as he smiled and said: “I don't know why I can see you, Marco and I don't know why I couldn't see you when I was younger. Maybe, it is an 'age-thing'. I became fifteen a couple of weeks ago, maybe fifteen is the age I needed to have to see you. But one thing I know for sure, you are not alone any longer, Marco. I will come here as oftentimes as I can and I will find a way to deliver you, I promise you.”

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

Erik kept his promise. His parents were more than astonished when Erik stopped complaining about their family Sundays all of a sudden, smiling at them each Sunday and never arguing about their plans again.

He went hiking with them without objection and the only wish he had was that they visited the castle Trifels at least once every month. His parents wondered about his sudden love for the fascinating castle, but as long as their son was so cooperative, they would gladly fulfill his wish and visit the Trifels with him as oftentimes as possible.

Erik stopped going on parties on Saturdays because he wanted to be well-rested the following Sunday and he spent as much time with Marco as possible whenever his parents agreed to his wish to go to the in old times so important place again, and his visits of the old masonry became the highlights in his life. They talked and laughed, played hide and seek and sometimes, Marco behaved just like every carefree teenager would behave and not like a more than eight-hundred-years-old ghost.

Back at home, Erik started to read like an obsessed, books about ghosts and castles and curses, trying to find a way to save Marco, although the mere thought of never seeing 'his' ghost again almost broke his heart. Marco had never talked about it again, but Erik could see in his eyes how much the older 'boy' craved to be delivered from his fate.

Atumn followed summer and when his parents refused to visit the castle with him because of the weather, he asked his older sister Lisa who accompanied him without asking questions, but looked at him, musingly, as if she knew more than she said.

The December started horrible because the castle closed for this month, and Erik had no other choice than to wait for January again. Marco told him on his last visit in November that he understood that and would be fine, 'sleeping' until the castle opened for visitors again, but Erik felt restless and frustrated, sitting in his room in his parent's house and staring at the wall in front of him like someone being lovesick.

Lovesick.

Erik swallowed as he realized why he was so sad and depressed. He had fallen in love with Marco. Fallen in love with a ghost who could only be rescued if he found someone who truly loved him. Erik blinked, wiping the tears from his face and a small smile tugged at his mouth and made his hazel-green eyes shine with hope and love, because he now knew how he could save Marco.

 

\-----------------------------------------

 

December went by and January came and Erik went to his sister Lisa for help. She smiled at him and hugged him and when he sat down on her bed beside her and told her about Marco, she listened to him, quietly and without interrupting him.

“I knew there had to be a reason for you wanting to go there that oftentimes. And you are sure that you are the one who could save him?” she asked when he was finished, not questioning his story and Erik was deeply grateful for that.

“Yes, Lisa, I am sure and I need your help, because I think I know now what to do.” He explained his plan to her and his sister eventually gave in and promised her brother to help him although he could see that she was worried and not convinced that his plan would work out.

Erik knew for sure it would and he forbade himself to think about what a success would mean for him: namely that he would never see Marco again.

 

\-------------------------------------------

 

It was a cold Saturday at the end of January when Erik climbed the path leading to the castle again with a large rucksack on his back, his sister Lisa beside him. They payed the entrance and strolled through the castle for a while until Erik said goodbye to her.

Lisa sighed. “Mom and dad will kill me when I'll tell them in the morning,” she sighed, the lie she had to tell them about where her baby brother would stay during the night pressing down on her shoulders like a heavy weight.

“I will tell them that it was only my fault. Please, Lisa, Marco needs me and I have to do this.”

Lisa sighed again, but said nothing, only kissed him on his cheek before she turned around and left him alone. Erik took his rucksack and made his way to the breastwork where he hopefully would find Marco. He wasn't sure if the ghost was still sleeping, but when he reached the place where he had seen the blond sitting for the first time months ago, he saw the familiar figure sitting on the exactly same place, waiting for him.

“Hello, Marco!” Erik greeted the ghost, his heart making a happy flip. Marco turned his head around and smiled at him. “Hello Erik, I've missed you,” he said, his eyes traveling over Erik's face. Erik had red cheeks from the cold and his eyes sparkled with his joy to see the ghost-teenager again. “You're so beautiful, Erik,” Marco sighed wistfully and Erik sighed, too, wishing that he could reach out and touch him.

“I think I found a way to save you, Marco,” he told him with a lump in his throat and Marco's eyes widened in surprise. “You did?”

Erik nodded his head. “Yes. I will stay with you tonight on the top of the tower. I will lie there with you on the cold stones and 'warm' you and I am sure that this will break the spell you're under and make your oath come true.”

Marco stared at him for a while without speaking and Erik uncomfortably shifted his weight, but he didn't avert his eyes and only looked back, letting Marco see all of his emotions.

“Are you really certain that you want to do this?” the ghost finally asked impassively and Erik nodded grimly his head. “Yes, I am. But you have to help me finding a place where I can hide until the castle has closed and the workers are gone.”

“This won't be a problem, Erik, just come with me,” the ghost answered him, leaving his favorite seat and gliding in the direction of the castle. Erik followed him, his hands clenched around the straps of his rucksack that hard that his knuckles turned white. Now, there was no turning back.

 

\------------------------------------------------

 

It had been easy to hide himself until it was dark outside and everyone gone. Erik had to admit that he was scared and felt lonelier than he had ever felt before, but he made his way upstairs until he had reached the windy platform of the tower without hesitation. The stars shining from the dark sky seemed to blink at him and Erik looked down at his beloved Pfälzer Wald, readying himself for his task and for never seeing Marco again when the next morning would light up the proud castle Trifels again.

He wore two thick sweaters and thermal underwear and he had brought a rescue blanket and the sleeping bag with him that could be used even by degrees below zero. He had a vaccum bottle with hot cacao and sandwiches, and he would stay on this tower as long as it would be necessary to save Marco from his destiny.

Marco watched him as he made himself as comfortable in the sleeping bag as possible, unmoved by the ice-cold breeze and the darkness because he was a ghost and didn't feel the cold or had to fear the night. All the blond ghost really feared was his loneliness and having to watch people come and go without hope to ever be rescued.

“Come here, Marco. I said I would warm you,” Erik told him, leaving the sleeping bag open for him. “I am a ghost, I don't feel the cold,” Marco objected, but Erik only smiled in the dim light of his flash lamp. “Yes, but the young boy Marco felt the cold when he waited for Mario to come and who betrayed him that badly. So come to me and let me warm you, Marco, please.”

Marco glided over the stones and 'laid' down beside him, snuggling close to the younger boy and Erik could feel his skin tingling through his clothes where the ghost 'touched' him. He closed the sleeping bag and placed his arms around the blond just as if he embraced him. He switched his flash lamp off because Marco was glowing again, spending enough light so that Erik could see him.

For a while they lay there, staring each other in the eyes before Marco asked, his voice husky and rough: “Why are you doing this for me, Erik?”

“Because I love you, Marco.”

 

\--------------------------------------------

 

They lay in silence, the meaning of Erik's confession and this cold winter night too important and life-changing to fill the silence surrounding them with words, Erik just 'held' Marco tight, trying to warm his astral body and letting his own body radiate love and comfort.

He must have dozen off for a while because he woke up from Marco's softly whispered words.

“Erik, please wake up. I can feel the change, something is happening to me.”

Erik opened his eyes just in time to see Marco bending over him in the early morning light. “Marco?” he mumbled and the ghost smiled at him, a sweet and happy smile full of love.

“I have to go, Erik. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me. I love you, too.”

The ghost bent down and Erik could feel the touch of warm lips on his own, a tender mouth closing over his own and kissing him. It was a real touch, warm pressure and smooth touch and Erik closed his eyes and kissed the ghost back with all the love he felt for him. He was surrounded by warmth and love and he savored the sweet and innocent kiss to the fullest until the warmth faded and the loving touch was gone.

Erik opened his eyes again and watched Marco's glowing astral body slowly fade, becoming more and more transparent until he wasn't visible any longer and Erik knew that this time, he was gone for good and would never come back again.

The last thing he heard was a softly murmured: “I love you, Erik.” and then, he was alone on top of the highest tower of the old and proud castle Trifels again, because Marco had finally found his peace after waiting for the one who truly loved him for more than eight hundred years.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

Erik sighed as he entered the classroom, readying himself for the start of the new school year. Seven months had passed since he had spent this fateful night on the Trifels and he had never gone there ever since this night.

The next morning, his parents had stood before the castle with the police, upset and crazy with their worries, but Erik hadn't told them the reason for his behavior. The kind policemen had told him off in a friendly way, but he had been only fifteen and his stay hadn't had any real consequences, apart from the domiciliary arrest he had had to endure for one month and his restraint to visit the Trifels again. He hadn't minded it, neither the first, nor the second, because now that Marco was gone, he had no reason to go there, and he had also been too lovesick for wanting to do anything else than curl himself up on his bed and dream of a young boy with blond hair and wonderful amber-green eyes and with the beautiful name Marco.

Now, seven months later, he was still lovesick, but his joy for life had come back, at least partly. He was sixteen now and he knew what he wanted to do, studying history and archaeology after finishing school and explore old castles and ruins. It wouldn't bring Marco back to him, but the Trifels had changed his life and Erik was certain that this was what he wanted – needed to do.

He sat down in the first row right beside the window, knowing that his classmates normally avoided this table in front of the teacher's desk. He wanted to sit alone, and he was fine with waiting for the class to start.

His classmates filled the room, chatting excitedly about their vacations, but Erik didn't join them, only smiling and saying “hello!” to them until their class-teacher Mr. Klopp entered the room.

“Good morning, pupils!” he said in a good mood, ushering an unknown male teenager into the classroom.

Erik felt his jaw drop as he saw the new pupil who would join their class. He seemed to be a little bit older than he himself, and he had blond hair and amber-green eyes. His skin was pale and he had a slim body.

Erik gulped for air, staring at the other boy who turned his head around to him as he felt someone staring at him. Erik's head started to spin and he almost missed Mr. Klopp's next words, but only almost.

“This is Marco Reus, your new classmate. He is a little bit older than you, but he just recovered from a bad disease and was out of school for a rather long time. I expect you to be nice and friendly to him!” Mr. Klopp looked around and then, pointed at the empty stool beside Erik.

“Marco, you can sit down next to Erik Durm. I'm sure that he will help you settle in here, won't you, Erik?”

Erik licked his lips and eagerly nodded his head. “Yes, I will. Hello Marco, I am Erik. It's great to have you here in our class.”

“Hello Erik.” Marco took his bag and sat down beside the younger boy with the light-brown hair and the hazel-green eyes.

He looked at Erik and smiled and Erik looked back and smiled, too.

 

\-------------------------------------------------

 

_Epilogue:_

 

One year later, during the summer vacation, Erik took Marco with him to visit the proud castle Trifels sitting enthroned on one of the highest mountains of the Pfälzer Wald.

Marco was finally strong and healthy enough after the long recovery from his disease to climb the steep path; and the older boy was eager to see the castle Erik loved so much himself, because he had never been there before.

They had become best friends and sometimes, Erik could see the other Marco he loved so much in the blond boy, the way he moved, he talked and smiled and every time Erik saw this, his heart made a happy flip and he didn't feel as sad and wistful any more as he had felt since his Marco had found his peace.

He showed him the breastwork and they leaned against the railing and looked into the distance, taking in the breathtaking sight of the woody mountains of their beloved home.

“It is almost as if I had been here before, Erik,” Marco mused as he looked around. “During my coma, I had dreams. I never told anyone about them, but a boy like you, with brown hair and hazel-green eyes was there in my dreams. He talked to me and laughed with me, he was always there and gave me hope, told me to not give up and to not go into the light. He told me that there was someone waiting for me outside in the world. He wore strange clothes like some I had seen in an old book about the middle ages and his name was Erich, another form of Erik. When I woke up from my coma near the end of January, all I wanted to do was becoming well enough again to leave the hospital and search for the one waiting for me. I do believe that you were the one waiting for me.”

He looked at Erik, the worry about Erik maybe not believing him clear to see in his beautiful eyes. “You certainly think that this is weird, don't you?” he asked hesitantly and Erik laid his hand upon his shoulder and smiled at him. “No, Marco, I don't think that this is weird, at all. I believe you and I have to tell you something, too.”

Erik's eyes never left Marco's pale face as he told him the story of Marco, the ghost, and what he had done to save him from his destiny.

“You woke up near the end of January, just when I saved him. Maybe, you could wake up and recover fully from your disease because he had finally found his peace, who knows? I am sure that your Erich and my Marco had something to do with us meeting last summer. And now, I'm also sure that Erich wanted to come back to Marco and save him, but couldn't for some reason. Whatever it was that kept him from doing so, it wasn't his fault, at all. Hopefully, Erich has found his peace now, as well.”

Marco took Erik's hand, entangling their fingers. “He has.” He said with such certainty in his voice that Erik believed him. He leaned against the blond boy and laid his head upon his shoulder. For a while, they enjoyed the view in peaceful silence, but then, Marco turned around and took Erik in his arms.

“Thank you for saving Marco – thank you for saving me, Erik. Because I am sure that you were the one saving me, too, with what you did for him.”

Erik wrapped his arms around the older boy who looked, spoke and behaved like the ghost-teenager Marco Erik had met two years ago on such a sunny summer day and smiled at him. “I will always be there for you, Marco,” he promised him tenderly, “no matter whether it will be today, in twenty years, in fifty years, hundred or two hundred years from now on. I will always be there whenever you need me, because you and I are meant to be together – in whatever life we will live.”

Marco smiled at him and his beautiful amber-green eyes didn't look sad, only happy and filled with joy and hope. “Yes, you and I are meant to be together – forever, Erik.”

And they sealed their promise with the sweetest kiss of all.

 

_The End_

 

View from the castle Trifels over the uplands of the Pfälzer Wald

  


**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for a wonderful Monday, sweetie. :-)
> 
> If you want to know what really happened in that night when ghost!Marco died, you can read chapter 2 of the third part of the Trifels-series, 'The Oath'. In chapter 2 you will learn about the reason why Mario didn't come to the tower and saved Marco.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [特里非尔城堡](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5458682) by [Jenn_W](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenn_W/pseuds/Jenn_W)




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